Democrats' Newfound Unity Faces Test   03/03 06:21

   

   WASHINGTON (AP) -- For Democrats demoralized at being shut out of power in 
Washington, the past several months have offered reason for optimism.

   A party often beset by ideological division has largely been unified in 
opposition to President Donald Trump's hardline immigration tactics, 
particularly after two U.S. citizens were killed in Minneapolis. Heading into a 
midterm election year in which they are just a few seats shy of reclaiming the 
U.S. House majority, Democrats have also kept the White House on defense with 
criticism of Trump's economic policies and ties to Jeffrey Epstein, the 
convicted sex offender.

   But the U.S. and Israeli strikes against Iran could test the durability of 
that cohesion. Initially, Democrats balanced condemnation of Iran's supreme 
leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed over the weekend, with calls for 
Congress to quickly pass a war powers resolution that would restrain Trump's 
attack options.

   "As soon as our resolution comes to the floor, senators need to pick a 
side," Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said on Monday. "Stand with 
Americans who don't want war, or stand with Donald Trump as he singlehandedly 
starts another war."

   Democratic divisions going into war powers vote

   But some divisions are surfacing as a handful of Democrats, especially those 
who are strongly aligned with Israel, express reservations about the war powers 
measure. Rep. Greg Landsman, D-Ohio, won't back an Iran resolution. Before the 
strike, Rep. Josh Gottheimer, D-N.J., also said he would vote no.

   Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., who backed a war powers vote tied to Venezuela 
in January, also has broken with Democrats over the Iranian measure and 
rejected arguments that the attack was illegal, spurring frustration among some 
party leaders.

   "John Fetterman knows better," House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries said 
Monday on CNN.

   Republicans are also facing internal dissent. Trump, who did little to 
prepare Americans for the prospect of such a dramatic conflict, said Monday the 
operation could last four to five weeks. He hasn't articulated a clear exit 
strategy and warns that American casualties could mount, which will pose a 
severe test of voter patience for the conflict.

   The war could also lead to rising gas prices and economic volatility that 
may bolster Democratic arguments that the president is out of touch with the 
financial realities facing many Americans.

   Still, Republicans see an opportunity to portray Democrats as reflexively 
opposed to Trump.

   "For my Democratic colleagues, this is not about what's best for our 
national security or what's best for protecting the American people," said Sen. 
John Kennedy, R-La. "This is about how to defeat Donald Trump."

   A searing debate among Democrats over Israel

   Democrats have undergone a searing internal debate over the party's 
relationship with Israel in the wake of the war in Gaza. Then-President Joe 
Biden's loyalty to Israel during the heat of the 2024 campaign was starkly at 
odds with younger generations outraged by the treatment of Palestinians in 
Gaza. By the time Kamala Harris rose to the top of the ticket that year, she 
struggled to win over some younger voters who are critical to Democratic 
success.

   Paco Fabian, the political director for the progressive advocacy group Our 
Revolution, acknowledged that Democrats "aren't monolithic." But he also 
suggested a shift was underway, noting the results of a New Jersey special 
election last month.

   During that campaign, the affiliated super PAC of the pro-Israel American 
Israel Public Affairs committee sought to thwart the moderate candidate, Tom 
Malinowski, after he questioned unconditional aid to the Israeli government. 
Those efforts appeared to backfire with the more progressive contender, 
Analilia Mejia, winning the primary.

   "Given what's going on right now, I don't think the moment is doing AIPAC 
and Israel any favors," Fabian said.

   Sympathy toward Israel appears to be shifting. Three years ago, 54% of 
Americans sympathized more with the Israelis, compared with 31% for the 
Palestinians, according to Gallup polling released last month. Now, their 
support is about evenly balanced, with 41% saying their sympathies lie more 
with the Palestinians, and only 36% saying the same about the Israelis.

   Americans' initial reactions to airstrikes also appeared more negative than 
positive, early polling suggested. About 6 in 10 U.S. adults disapproved of the 
U.S. decision to take military action in Iran, according to a CNN poll 
conducted via text message over the weekend. A separate snap poll from The 
Washington Post conducted via text message on Sunday suggested that about half 
of those polled opposed the strikes, while 39% were in support. Roughly 1 in 10 
were unsure.

   Democrats and independents drove much of the disapproval in those early 
polls, while Republicans were much more supportive.

   Elections this week could show impact of attacks

   The initial political impact of the attacks in Iran could emerge as soon as 
Tuesday during the first primary elections of this year's midterm campaign.

   In North Carolina, Durham County Commissioner Nida Allam was already going 
into her bid to unseat two-term Rep. Valerie Foushee with backing from Our 
Revolution and other top progressives. After receiving support from groups tied 
to AIPAC during her 2022 campaign, Foushee's campaign rejected such 
contributions this cycle. Over the weekend, she said she doesn't support 
"Trump's illegal war with Iran" and would back the war powers resolution.

   Still, Allam, who would be the first Muslim elected to Congress from North 
Carolina, was quick to release a video ahead of Tuesday's vote criticizing 
Trump for "starting another endless war" and promising to never accept support 
from "the pro-Israel lobby."

   In Texas, home to high-profile Senate primaries on Tuesday, Democratic 
voters expressed alarm at the attacks.

   "It shouldn't have happened," said Charles Padmore, 45, an independent 
contractor in Houston. "Affordability should be the top priority on Trump's 
list."

   Alex Diaz, 31, a biology high school teacher in Houston, called the bombing 
of Iran "uncalled for."

   "You're trying to start World War III, and we don't need that right now," he 
said.

   The fallout could spread to other contests this month. Ahead of the March 17 
primary in Illinois, AIPAC-aligned groups have also criticized Daniel Biss, the 
Evanston mayor who is aiming to become the Democratic candidate to succeed the 
retiring Rep. Jan Schakowsky. In an interview, Biss spoke of the "backlash I'm 
hearing people have against AIPAC, their MAGA-aligned money and their 
Trump-aligned policy agenda."

   Asked about such predictions, Patrick Dorton, a spokesman for AIPAC's 
affiliated super PAC, said "the key distinction will be between those who 
recognize that Iran is a murderous regime that tortures women for leaving their 
hair uncovered, hangs gay people, and executes peaceful democratic protestors, 
and those who will turn a blind eye to the regime's atrocities."

   Calls for a 'united opposition party'

   As Congress moves toward a potential war powers vote this week, Biss said 
there was a need for Democrats to act as a "strong, clear, vocal, united 
opposition party."

   "I also would like to see the Democratic Party united not just on the 
procedural argument but on the basic acknowledgment that this war is wrong," he 
added.

   On Capitol Hill, Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, a Democrat on the 
Armed Services Committee, said he was less concerned about party unity than the 
prospect of achieving a bipartisan vote on the war powers resolution. Three 
Republicans ultimately backed the Venezuela resolution in January.

   "What I want to see happen is the war powers resolution pass," he said. "I'm 
not focused on what Democrats as a whole do. We're going to have differing 
opinions among Democrats and among Republicans."